The agri-food industry is the second largest economic sector in the EU, and in order to reinforce its safety and effectiveness, the European Commission has today adopted a package of measures to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety standards. Food safety is essential to ensure consumers' confidence and sustainability of food production. The package responds to the call for better simplification of legislation and smarter regulation thus reducing administrative burden for operators and simplifying the regulatory environment. It will cut down from almost 70 pieces of legislation at the moment to 5 pieces. Special consideration is given to the impact of this legislation on SMEs and micro enterprises which are exempted from the most costly and burdensome elements in the legislation. Please also see MEMO/13/398 .

The European Commission adopted today a new strategy which aims to encourage the use of green infrastructure, and to ensure that the enhancement of natural processes is taken into account systematically as part of spatial planning. Green Infrastructure is a tried and tested tool that uses nature to provide ecological, economic and social benefits. Instead of building flood protection infrastructure, for example, a green infrastructure solution would be to allow a natural wetland to absorb the excess water from heavy rain.

In March 2013 compared with February 2013, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.1% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In February retail trade decreased by 0.2% in the euro area, but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. In March 2013, compared with March 2012, the retail sales index dropped by 2.4% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU27.

The European Commission has informed Motorola Mobility of its preliminary view that the company's seeking and enforcing of an injunction against Apple in Germany on the basis of its mobile phone standard-essential patents ("SEPs") amounts to an abuse of a dominant position prohibited by EU antitrust rules. While recourse to injunctions is a possible remedy for patent infringements, such conduct may be abusive where SEPs are concerned and the potential licensee is willing to enter into a licence on Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (so-called "FRAND") terms. In such a situation, the Commission considers at this stage that dominant SEP holders should not have recourse to injunctions, which generally involve a prohibition to sell the product infringing the patent, in order to distort licensing negotiations and impose unjustified licensing terms on patent licensees. Such misuse of SEPs could ultimately harm consumers. The sending of a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation. You will find additional information consulting MEMO/13/403 .